This invention relates to a fluid flow regulator for an intravenous feeding device and particularly to a fluid flow regulator including an elastic sealing body which has a fluid passage directed to the outlet of a medication container and forms a valve seat in the fluid passage against which a float plug can be seated.
Various forms of fluid flow regulators to be incorporated in an intravenous feeding device have existed in the prior art. Examples of such fluid flow regulators are disclosed in many patents, such as, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,055,176, 1,205,410, 4,096,879, 3,227,173, etc. Generally, the fluid flow regulator includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet through which the medication liquid flows, and a float valve to shut off the outlet of the housing when the housing runs out of liquid. The float valve is seated against a valve seat formed at the outlet by a suction force created downstream of the valve seat when the housing is empty of liquid. In common practice, the outlet of the housing is a conduit-like member extending from the bottom of the housing and the conduit-like member forms itself a valve seat at its topmost part. Such a valve seat is not resilient and, therefore, an efficient seal between the valve seat and the float valve can not be obtained if the suction force is not enough to hold a large float valve tightly against the valve seat.
Moreover, there is an inconvenience caused by most conventional regulators wherein a period of time is needed for the medication to reach the veins of the patient since the float valve which seats against the valve seat is released therefrom only when the medication liquid achieves a sufficient buoyancy to float the float valve.